The melanoma oral abstracts session at ASCO 2014 was packed as a full house in the Arie Crown lecture theatre listened to the latest on new immuno-oncology therapies that are leading a revolution in melanoma treatment.

In the Clinical Science Symposium on PD-1 blockade and in the oral session at ASCO 2013 we heard how PD-1 antibodies nivolumab, MK-3475 (now pembrolizumab) and the PD-L1 antibody MPDL3280A had high response rates, long durations of response with favourable toxicity. This led to melanoma suddenly becoming one of the hottest areas of cancer drug development.

Global incidence of stage III melanoma continues to rise, with a high 5 year relapse rate (89% in stage IIIc), so there remains a need for more effective treatment options. It’s particularly sad to see so many young people end up with metastatic melanoma from over-exposure to tanning beds or too much sun! After going to several melanoma sessions, I don’t go out as much in the mid-day sun here in Florida.

So what did latest data show at ASCO 2014? Is pembrolizumab better than nivolumab?

Will combinations be more effective than single agent therapies alone and will toxicities impact the risk:benefit profile?

You can log-in to read more about where these new products stand a year later.

This content is restricted to subscribers

Posted by